Lauren:

I would suggest a query that looks for a particular settlement number and
asks for all records where the status is NOT closed.

If the recordset returns zero records, you can then implement whatever
functionality to want to show that the file is closed.  For example, you
could add a new field (IsClosed) for the Settlement numbers table to mark a
file as closed (set the value equal to true).

Or you could set this same field at the time you mark all subform records as
"closed."

It is hard to give more details without more information about your form and
subform and how they operate.

I have a database based on Settlement numbers.  I have a subform that has
multiple records that correspnd to the settlement number.  Each one has its
own 'status' and when I update the status of all the records to 'closed', i
would like it to show the entire file as closed.  Any ideas?

Thanks,
Lauren